Mobile Upgrade – Custom Dispositions and Sticky Outbound Number

Photo by Andrea Natali on Unsplash

Why this matters for our business

We rely on phone conversations to move prospects through the funnel, confirm appointments, and keep projects on track. When call outcomes are vague or scattered across tools, follow-ups slip, accountability falters, and revenue suffers. Two small mobile updates change that: the ability to choose custom call dispositions from the phone and a sticky outbound number that remembers the number we picked for subsequent calls. Together these improve accuracy, speed, and consistency in our day-to-day calling.

What the updates do at a glance

• Custom call dispositions on mobile – Mark the result of any inbound or outbound call with a tailored status like requested appointment, left voicemail, sent estimate, or not interested.
• Sticky outbound number – When we select a specific outbound number to make a call, the app remembers that choice for our next calls so we do not have to repeatedly reselect it.

How custom dispositions change our workflow

Before this, call outcomes were recorded inconsistently because team members would forget to update a status once they returned to their desktop or they would choose a generic option that did not reflect the next action needed. Now, at the moment the call ends we can tag it accurately from our phones.

Accurate dispositions create real downstream benefits:

• Cleaner follow-ups – We can trigger the right follow-up the moment we set the disposition. For example, marking a call as requested appointment can enqueue a confirmation message or calendar invite right away.
• Reduced missed opportunities – Marking a call as voicemail follow-up highlights prospects that need a second attempt while keeping them out of the “done” pile.
• Faster handoffs – When someone else needs to step in, they see the last disposition and know exactly what action is pending.
• Better reporting and coaching – Accurate, consistent tags improve our reporting on call outcomes and help managers coach the team on what’s working.

Practical disposition examples we use

• Requested appointment
• Left voicemail — follow-up required
• Sent estimate — waiting response
• Not interested — do not call
• Information provided — nurture sequence
• No answer — callback scheduled

We keep our list short and actionable. Each disposition maps to a clear next step so our team always knows what to do.

How sticky outbound numbers simplify calling on the go

We work from different locations—office desk, car, job site—and sometimes we want calls to come from a specific number associated with a region, team member, or department. Choosing that number once and having it persist for subsequent calls saves time and prevents mistakes.

Benefits we’ve seen from using a sticky outbound number:

• Consistency for customers – Calls come from the same number during a session so clients recognize us and answer more often.
• Less friction for the team – No need to manually pick the correct caller ID every time; we can focus on the conversation.
• Cleaner records – All calls made from that number are grouped properly for callbacks and tracking.

Real-world scenarios where these features help

These are the tasks that used to cause small but expensive friction in our day-to-day work.

Field service and estimates

When a tech finishes a site visit, they often call to confirm details and then immediately upload an estimate. Marking that call as "sent estimate" from the phone ensures accounting and sales know the status without waiting for a desktop update.

Outbound sales blitzes

During focused outreach, we want the calls to appear from a local number or the sales line. The sticky number lets reps pick the appropriate caller ID once and keep calling without interruption.

Support triage

Support reps often need to mark calls as "requires follow-up" or "issue escalated." Doing that immediately on the call prevents tickets from being missed and speeds resolution.

How we implemented these changes in our team

Rolling out small updates successfully depends on simple steps. Here is the plan we used and recommend.

1. Update the app — Ensure every team member is on the required mobile version. These features require version 4.5 or higher, so we set a cutoff date and asked the team to update before then.
2. Standardize dispositions — We chose 6 to 8 dispositions that map to our most common outcomes and defined the next action for each. Keep them short and clear.
3. Train with examples — We ran a quick 15-minute session showing how to select a disposition and how sticky numbers work. Practical examples are key: show what to do after a voicemail, a requested appointment, or when sending an estimate.
4. Enforce via routine — For the first two weeks we added a quick check during daily standups: “Did anyone forget to set dispositions on calls yesterday?” This helped build the habit.
5. Monitor and iterate — We reviewed dispositions in the weekly reporting meeting and combined or retired tags that didn’t get used.

Best practices for disposition design

A well-designed list of dispositions makes adoption effortless. We follow these rules:

• Keep it concise — One short phrase that clearly indicates the next step.
• Map to action — Each disposition should imply what must happen next. If "left voicemail" means we call back in 48 hours, write that down in your process guide.
• Limit the number — Too many options slow people down. Aim for five to eight.
• Use consistent language — Avoid synonyms that split usage. Pick one label for similar outcomes and stick with it.
• Train with real calls — Use actual call examples during training so people see how tags apply in context.

Tips for using sticky outbound numbers effectively

• Pick deliberately — Choose the outbound number that makes sense for the session, like regional lines for local outreach or a central sales number for standard calls.
• Reset when needed — If you change locations or roles during the day, manually switch the outbound number once and it will stick to the new selection.
• Coordinate across the team — If multiple team members are sharing a number, agree on when to switch to avoid confusion.
• Use for tracking — Persistent outbound numbers help identify which campaigns or reps are driving responses when reviewing call logs.

What to expect after adoption

Once the team uses dispositions and sticky numbers consistently, the improvements show up fast. We noticed fewer missed follow-ups, clearer daily task lists for each rep, and cleaner CRM data for reporting. Managers spend less time chasing down context and more time coaching.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Too many dispositions — Avoid creating vanity tags. If a label is rarely used, remove it.
• Inconsistent use — Reinforce the habit early. A short onboarding checklist for new hires helps keep consistency.
• Misunderstood meanings — Define each disposition in a one-page guide with the expected follow-up action.
• Overreliance on defaults — Sticky numbers are convenient, but make sure reps still choose intentionally when a different outbound number makes sense.

Measuring impact

To see whether the change is working, track simple signals:

• Number of follow-ups completed within the expected window.
• Percentage of calls with a disposition set.
• Time from call to next action (message, appointment, ticket update).
• Response rate from calls made using a sticky local number versus a default line.

These metrics tell us whether dispositions are being used and whether sticky numbers are improving answer rates.

Team feedback and small wins

Our team shared quick wins after adopting these updates. Reps appreciated not having to reselect the caller ID repeatedly during outreach sessions. Field staff liked being able to finalize call notes and tag outcomes right after a job. Managers loved the cleaner reporting and fewer surprises in the pipeline.

Getting started checklist

1. Confirm mobile app version is 4.5 or higher for everyone on the team.
2. Create a short list of 5–8 dispositions and document the next action for each.
3. Train the team with real examples and a one-page guide.
4. Decide on a default behavior for sticky numbers and when to override it.
5. Review usage and metrics after two weeks and iterate.

FAQ

Do these features work for both inbound and outbound calls?

Yes. Custom dispositions can be applied to both inbound and outbound calls, allowing us to mark the outcome regardless of call direction.

Which app version is required to access these mobile features?

These features require the mobile app version 4.5 or higher. We made updating the app a quick step in our rollout checklist.

Can the list of dispositions be customized to match our business language?

We recommend customizing dispositions so they reflect the exact next actions your team uses. Keep the list short and map each disposition to a clear follow-up workflow.

Does the sticky outbound number persist across app restarts?

The selected outbound number stays active for subsequent calls during the current session. If you need it reset or change it, pick a different number manually and it will then stick to the new choice.

How do we prevent inconsistent tagging across the team?

Enforce a short list of dispositions, document the expected follow-up for each, and hold a brief training session. A quick daily check-in for the first two weeks helps solidify the habit.

Will using dispositions improve our reporting?

Yes. Cleaner, more consistent dispositions lead to better reporting because call outcomes are tied to specific, actionable statuses rather than vague notes.

Are there any costs or hidden changes to our setup?

No changes to pricing were involved in our rollout. These are quality-of-life updates to the existing mobile experience designed to reduce tool friction and improve process clarity.

Closing thoughts

Small improvements to how we handle calls can create outsized benefits. Being able to set accurate dispositions from our phones and letting the system remember our chosen outbound number reduces friction, improves follow-through, and keeps our pipeline cleaner. We treated the rollout as a simple process change—update, standardize, train, and measure—and the team adapted quickly.

If your business depends on phone conversations, these updates are worth adding to your routine. They free the team to focus on conversations, not on administrative follow-up, and that translates directly into better customer experience and more reliable results.